Of Knights and Sorcerers
by MiggleGriff
Summary: When Arthur recieves a mysterious message from a sorcerer, he rides out to meet them. But what do they want? And who is this 'Emrys' the man speaks of? Arthur is determind to find out, especially when he learns this sorcerer could potentially save Camelot. However, it soon turns into a wild goose chase as Arthur hunts a man who is right beside him.
1. Messages and Motives

**A/N** Hello! This is my first Merlin fanfic, and I'm sure you'll all be lovely to me ;) I _adore _Merlin, just to say, and I totally support Freylin :)

There is planned whumping in this story, for whom I am not sure, but I love getting the knights all brotherly and fraternal. :3 No-slash.

If anyone actually likes this story, chapters will be updated at a reasonable rate, and definately at least once a week if not more (unless my computer is confiscated, that can happen...).

**Disclaimer : **Need I say I don't own Merlin?

Onwards!

* * *

Chapter One: Messages

Merlin groaned, the bright sunlight hitting his closed lids with a strength that shocked him into wakefulness. It had ever been this way, even in Ealdor when he could afford a few extra hours in bed, he liked to rise with the sun. Its crest rising over the horizon filled him with a sense of purpose, and the promise of a new day. Of course the prat had to ruin it by forcing him to rise at this time; it made the whole experience a lot less enjoyable. He could now hear Gaius moving about, how the man managed to rise before Merlin everyday was beyond him, but it happened none the less.

"Merlin!" Came the somewhat exasperated call, jolting Merlin from his musings and causing him to stumble towards the noise, yawning widely.

"Eat quickly, Merlin, and drop off this ointment to Lord Benover, he's been having trouble with his back."

"But I-"

"Quickly, Merlin! Quickly! And stop yawning, I can see your breakfast."

"I haven't _had _any breakfast."

"And there lies the problem. Arthur can't wait all day, Merlin." After quite obviously and successfully winning the verbal spar, Gaius waddled off, leaving a defeated and slightly bemused Merlin holding a bread roll. He would win one day, he was sure.

* * *

Lord Benover was an arrogant man, one who enjoyed seeing others put in their place before him. His grey-streaked hair contrasted his deep purple robes, as though he tried to combat the indignity of approaching old age with immaculate finery. He was the stereotypical noble, a portly man in his fifties, who had once bathed in the glory of youth and skill with the sword, and who now, with nothing better to do, sought to regain this glory with power in court. Needless to say, Merlin wasn't over fond of the man.

"Lord Benover?" Merlin called, knocking quietly on the thick oak door. He had long since learned that nobles didn't approve of having their doors almost knocked down, and since Benover wasn't exactly Arthur, he decided not to make a habit of it. "Lord Benover?" He called again, since the man had not responded to the first summons. He heard a low grumbling, and the door was pulled forcibly inwards, startling Merlin before he put a tentative smile on his face.

"Ointment, my lord. For your back." The lord glared at the servant accusingly, before saying,

"At this hour? Why, boy? Speak up!"

"Well…" He grinned nervously, "Gaius, you know how it is…" He was rewarded with a cold stare, obviously the lord did not. "Well…er, sorry to wake you, my lord, here's your ointment." He held the sea green ointment out for the noble, who took it gruffly.

"If you come so early next time, you'll be in the stocks." He barked, before slamming the door in Merlin's face. _Well how rude_, Merlin thought, and briefly considered filling the man's bed with slugs before rejecting the idea and moving quickly on to the kitchens.

* * *

Of course Margaret had to be awake, it was ridiculous really, how protective she was of her domain. For yes, the clutter of pans andoverstocked shelves did belong to someone, though it seemed as though the untameable sea of cooking equipment would be beholden tono-one, even they quivered at the mere mention of their mistress. Margaret, the head cook, a plump, formidable woman who could weaken a man's knees with only a spatula, ruled her lair with an iron grip, and saw everyone entering as a thief. Merlin found it hilarious. Trying to blend with the kitchen women who had woken with their mistress, he made his way to the meat, knowing that Arthur complained bitterly each morning when his breakfast did not contain a dead animal. Merlin got halfway there.

"What you doin' in my kitchin'?" The dreaded spatula was there, hovering at eye level.

"Breakfast for the king." Merlin tried to keep his face expressionless, hoping he wouldn't anger the women any further. The spatula lowered fractionally.

"Well… be quick about it, and don't linger." Not needing any more than that, he shot toward the meat, grabbed two chicken wings and a buttered roll, and ran out the door, accusations that he had taken too much following him out. _Honestly. Anybody would think she wanted all her food to rot, the way she protects it... _He shook his head, not trying to comprehend the mind of scary women any longer. Picking up a tuneless hum, he trotted through the castle that had become his home. Ironic, really, as his home could turn on him in a heartbeat. Still, he would wait for Arthur to _finally_ come to his senses about magic.

Taking a hidden passage, he avoided the few servants that were bustling (less enthusiastically than the term 'bustling' actually implies) through the main corridor. It was a skill he'd long since picked up. Avoid the crowds, and you avoid food all down your nice clean neckerchief. And so, with food still on plate, and a clean neckerchief proudly on display, Merlin entered his master, king, and friend's chambers, for he was the king's friend, no matter how much they both denied it. He was greeted with carnage. Well, if you can call Arthur asleep at his desk, paper strewn everywhere and clothes flung haphazardly around the room carnage, then it was, and Merlin did, because it meant _he'd _have to clean it up. Deciding to have a bit of fun, Merlin placed the food down quietly, and crept up on the king, placing his head in front of Arthur's own, and jolting him awake with a loud,

"BOO!" The reaction was instantaneous; Arthur flung himself up with a cry, and tried to grab his sword before realizing it had been removed from his general vicinity. It was then that he noticed his manservant, silent laughter convulsing his small frame, leaning against his bedpost in an effort to remain upright.

"MERLIN!" He shouted, clouting his friend over the head, which did nothing to alleviate his mirth.

"I need to do that every morning."

"No you do not. _I_ don't need to start every morning looking like a fool!" Arthur exclaimed.

"So you admit you look like a fool some of the time?" Arthur groaned, realizing he had set himself up for that one, and hit Merlin again.

"No, _you're _the fool. Where's breakfast?" Merlin grinned, knowing he had won, and handed the king his breakfast. Arthur took one look at the plate, then raised his head to stare blankly at his servant. "That's it?"

"Yes…well… I didn't have time to get the several bucket-fulls of food you require." Merlin replied, rather gruffly. Arthur cracked a grin.

"Oh this is _brilliant!"_ He exclaimed with glee, "You're blushing! Does Margaret _scare_ you Merlin?"

"Course not." Merlin scoffed, rolling his eyes, but he failed to clear the suspicion from Arthur, and the king was _not _going to let his friend live this down.

"Now _this _I can use. I never did punish your slip with the belt."

"How can you remember that? It was years ago!"

"Exactly. It has gone far too long unpunished." Arthur grinned and Merlin shook his head in frustration. "Now, what're my duties for the day?"

"You'd think, what with his _noble _education and all, that the king could read his own duties by now."

"_Mer_lin."

"Right, right, duties, of course. Ahem." Merlin cleared his throat, preparing to dramatically read the long list, but paused in shock when he saw the parchment was clear of all but one thing.

"Train the knights…" He said incredulously.

"That's it?" Arthur's face was one of a man who doesn't dare to hope, but who's eyes light with it anyway.

"Yes…" Merlin was much less enthusiastic, of course it was brilliant he didn't have to run around after Arthur all daw, serving him wine in council meetings and what not, (_why do they have alcohol in meetings anyway?) _but a free day meant only one thing…

"Great! Then we can go hunting. I haven't had the chance to since the coronation." Merlin sighed. Of course the prat would view a free day as an excuse to kill fluffy animals, that was just the way he was, but that didn't mean Merlin had to _like _it. He sighed. "Stop being such a _girl _Merlin. Honestly, you'd keep half the forest in your room if you could."

"I just don't see why you have to kill animals that aren't needed for food." Not only were hunting trips unfair to the local wildlife, they were also boring, hot and tiring. Not Merlin's idea of fun at all.

"Don't want to hurt the bunnies, Merlin?"

"No, actually, I don't." Arthur rolled his eyes, used to his friend's quirky ways.

"Well you're coming anyway. Saddle the horses and pack food for the rest of the day _before_ training finishes, Merlin, not hours after." Other servants may have quivered under Arthur's words and tone, but not Merlin, who left the room muttering something about egoistic prats under his breath. Arthur grinned once more, looking forward to torturing Merlin in the coming hours.

* * *

Once the horses were saddled, and once Merlin had made yet another trip to the kitchens, _twice in one hour isn't fair, _he made his way to the training field, where Percival had just disarmed Gwaine.

"Not fair!" He heard his roguish friend exclaim, "You're bigger than me."

"And _you're_ still half drunk!" Elyan called from the sidelines, "You can't blame him for taking the advantage." Arthur, who had been smiling slightly, now frowned, and his voice acquired a disapproving tone.

"You turned up drunk, Gwaine? Again?"

"Hey, not my fault. Met a pretty barmaid last night and-"

"Gwaine, we don't want to know." Elyan broke in. Gwaine grinned brightly, stretching his arms towards the low sun.

"Not my fault you're all so prudish. Have you even kissed a girl, Artie?"

"Don't call me that," Arthur whined, "and of course I have."

"Really? Who then?" Gwaine relaxed in his torture of the king, who was now casting furtive glances at Elyan and blushing bright red.

"Ah…" Gwaine sighed. "The beautiful Guinevere. With her soft brown curls and deep hazel eyes…" He broke off, sighing appreciatively. It was common knowledge among everyone now, nobles and commoners alike, that Arthur's feelings for Gwen were more than just a passing fancy, but Arthur thought he preferred it the way it had been. Their secret relationship had been private and special, though he did now have the pleasure of openly showing his feelings for her in public.

"Enough!" Arthur cried. "We are going hunting. In half an hour I expect you all in the courtyard, no exceptions, _Gwaine_," Gwaine, who had just been about to interrupt, sighed deeply and shook his head, grieving after a morning in the tavern lost. _Does the man do nothing else in his spare time? _Arthur thought, mildly disturbed and amazed at the amount his friend drank. "Chop chop!" Arthur dismissed them, but before they could trundle off, Leon ran towards them, signalling wildly with a slightly crazed look in his eyes.

"Sire, trouble, in the woods. Sorcerer." He cut off, panting. "A traveller came to the citadel and said he'd been accosted by a sorcerer. I wouldn't believe him, sire, except that he had strange burn marks that couldn't have been cause by a camp fire alone. Sire… he said that… the sorcerer gave him a message… a message for you. A message for you to meet him in the Darkling Woods at noon, or he'd…"

"He'd what, Leon?"

"Or he'd march on Camelot."

* * *

**A/N**

So... Was it ok? Do you know what makes me really happy? Reviews. Yes. I will pummel you every chapter for reviews, and I won't rest until I get them... :)


	2. Death Threats

**A/N :** Here it is!

Thank you for the amazing response for the last chapter! I honestly never expected it to be that well liked. Now I'm all emotional *sniff*.

Since I forgot last chapter, *grinns sheepishly,* this story is set at the end of season four, and Arthur and Gwen are yet to be married.

Enjoy the chapter!

Onwards!

* * *

"Whereabouts is this sorcerer, Leon?" Arthur asked as they strode briskly towards the citadel, Merlin trailing behind and making no effort to hide his eavesdropping.

"We're not entirely sure, sire. The man was… hesitant." Arthur frowned, displeased with the turn his morning was taking.

"How so?"

"He's had something of an ordeal, my lord. We didn't want to make him repeat it twice." They fell silent, each thinking their own thoughts. Arthur was glad his knights had been so thoughtful, something the knights during his father's reign would not have been. He'd appointed knights he knew and trusted to receive visitors for exactly this reason, he didn't want the traveller to suffer anymore. He knew sorcerers could be frightening, he'd met his fair share and could say with conviction none of them had been pleasant.

Preparing himself mentally, Arthur strode through the hastily opened throne room doors. The traveller was sat on a chair that had been brought for him, but he leapt up and bowed deeply when Arthur entered the room, his face flushing with embarrassment at being caught idle.

"My lord." He stuttered, gaze fixed on his scuffed boots, and hands clasped respectfully behind his back.

"What's your name?" Arthur replied, hoping to relax the man enough for him to feel comfortable in his presence.

"Brydan, my lord." He said, glancing up in surprise at the king's kind tone, obviously this man had had to deal with Uther before, and so expected the son to be like his father. He couldn't be more wrong.

"Please, Brydan, sit." Brydan did so, and waited silently as his king did likewise, seating himself on the uncomfortable wooden throne. Arthur had considered multiple times adorning the oversized chair with a cushion, but rejected the thought, it would appear too soft, a king must be hard, _just like the damn chair. _Merlin took his place behind Arthur and smiled at Brydan, offering a friendly and lowly face in the room full of nobles and knights. "Would you please tell us what happened?"

"I was just returning from the village of Welmar, my lord. I…I could see Camelot in the distance…it…" The man swallowed convulsively, fingers playing frantically with the bottom of his tunic.

"Nothing will be held against you, Brydan. Please, tell us what happened." Brydan kept his eyes averted, staring at the floor, and continued his story.

"It came so quickly, my lord.. I…I didn't…" Brydan took a gulp of air, and made a visible effort to compose himself. "I heard something behind me, and I made to turn, but before I could there was a… a force sire. Like nothing I've ever felt before. I couldn't move, like there was a hand holding me in place. I heard footsteps, and a cloaked man walked in front of me. His eyes sire, his eyes!" The man squeaked in fright. "They were gold, molten gold. He told me… he said that he wanted me to deliver a message, a message to you, sire." Brydan fell silent once more, and his mouth shut into a rigid line, he looked down again.

"Brydan, what was the message? What did the sorcerer say?" A single tear streaked down the man's face, making Arthur felt distinctly awkward. He wasn't good with emotions, that was up to Merlin, he always dealt with soppy feelings. And as if the manservant had read Arthur's mind, much to the surprise of the court, he spoke up.

"Please, Brydan, this is important. There is nothing to be ashamed of, you won't be judged for anything you did in self-defence." _Maybe he really _can _read minds. _Arthur thought, as Brydan snapped his head up, and seemed to accept himself. Merlin surprised Arthur sometimes with his bouts of wisdom, and this was one such time. He had the most extraordinary effect on people. The nobles in the room seemed to disapprove of Merlin speaking out, but Arthur couldn't care less, for the words had the desired effect.

"I'm sorry, sire. I should not have brought you this message, but the sorcerer threatened me… he…he said he'd kill me if I didn't." He took another deep breathe. "He said to tell you to meet him in the Darkling Woods at noon or he'd attack Camelot." There were intakes of breathe from the nobles who had not been there the first time this message was relayed, but Arthur stayed still, his eyes fixed on the man.

"Where did he say to meet?"

"The Rock of Faces, my lord."

There was a sharp silence as everyone digested the information. The Rock of Faces was allegedly where a magical creature known as a Tot Vultus lived, though Arthur didn't believe the legend. For one, it was decades outdated, and two, the person who the claim originated from was a confirmed madman. However, there was no denying that the place inspired fear. The rock, aptly named, seemed to watch you, though it had no eyes. Its hulking presence dominated the landscape and it was more like a small mountain than a rock, really.

"Thank you, Brydan." Arthur said sincerely. Then, to Leon: "See he is given what he needs." The court bowed as Arthur left, and he nodded politely back. He quickened his pace once the doors were out of sight, but Merlin, annoyingly, stayed by his side. He used to be able to force Merlin into a trot when he walked at this pace, but the boy's legs had grown, curse him. It had given Arthur some small measure of satisfaction to see the servant stumbling after him. He wondered when Merlin was going to start nattering.

"You shouldn't go, Arthur, it's a trap." _There he goes._

"I'm well aware of that, _Mer_lin, but what else can I do?"

"Don't go. He can't take Camelot by himself."

"Of course he can't, but what if he's not alone, what then? Even if he is alone he could take innocent lives before he's stopped." Merlin stayed silent for a minute, thinking.

"You could send someone in your place."

"The message said _me, _Merlin." Both men sighed, and shared a look. This sort of thing happened _way _too often. "I will go alone, the sorcerer would overpower my knights." His mouth twisted into a wry grimace, he hated to admit swords could do nothing against this sorcerer.

"You won't go alone." Merlin said firmly.

"Merlin, I won't risk anyone."

"Don't be a prat, prat. I'm coming with you." Arthur turned to look at his servant, his friend. His loyal, true friend, and he smiled.

"I would expect nothing else."

It looked like they were going hunting after all, but after an entirely different quarry.

* * *

Saccularius had waited patiently. It was nearly done. The Sanguis Familia – the Blood Family – were nearly avenged. He'd been forced to watch as his clan, his family, were slaughtered. Only him and five others had survived, and now anger and a need for vengeance consumed them like the plague. The Pendragons had caused this, their dark blades had pierced the hearts of children as mothers screamed in anguish. Saccularius still remembered those screams. His soul still wept.

He had waited for seven years for this opportunity; Uther would not have met him, but his brat, Arthur was rumoured to be _honourable._ The boy himself had not slaughtered his family, but magic was still outlawed, and many innocent magic users had died at his hands. He shuddered in delight at the thought of the king's blood on his hands, and looked at the sun, suddenly impatient. The golden glow had nearly reached midday. Oh, how the king would _suffer._ The bloodlust coursing through him caused thrills of anticipation.

Yes, Saccularius would wait, but when the time came, he would show no mercy.

They had left quickly, not wanting to attract attention. Merlin had agreed with Arthur about the knights staying behind. They would only be hurt or killed, and besides, Merlin could protect Arthur better than any of them. He was anxious about the coming meeting; he doubted the sorcerer would be a peaceful one, and despite his great talent for magic Merlin still had to hide it, which meant he couldn't preform more effective spells without Arthur noticing. Honestly, the prat really should have noticed already, tree branches didn't just fall onto bandits. Merlin was lucky the king was so blind, or maybe he was so set against magic he refused to believe a sorcerer could be helping him. Merlin hoped it was the former. He hoped to tell Arthur, one day, when things had settled down a bit and evil sorcerers stopped attacking the kingdom. It was ironic, really, that magic was the only thing from magic possibly being accepted. For he was sure Arthur wouldn't hurt him. The reason he didn't tell Arthur was much deeper than that: he didn't want to lose his friendship. He sighed.

"Something the matter, Merlin?" Arthur's obnoxiously loud voice called from ahead. The prat still insisted on riding in front.

"Oh, I don't know." He replied sarcastically. "Maybe it's the fact that we're riding to meet a sorcerer with the habit of giving death threats."

"Ah, that."

"Yes, that. Aren't you worried at _all_?" Arthur shrugged his shoulders.

"A little. But I'm sure we'll emerge victorious." Merlin rolled his eyes, but said nothing to contradict, for he could hear the undercurrent of anxiety in his friend's voice, and knew Arthur was trying to reassure himself. Instead he tried to help.

"We're going to be late." Merlin informed him. Arthur glanced at the sun, then at Merlin.

"Of course we're not. I've judged our location perfectly."

"The last time you said that," Merlin said, "We ended up twenty miles from Camelot." The memory was not a pleasant one. They'd been on a hunting trip, which had been inadvertently extended by half a day due to Arthur's 'judging.'

"That was your fault. You put me off."

"I shall tell everyone you have minimal concentration skills, so they know to avoid you when you're _thinking._"

"Merlin. Shut up." He replied, using the tone of one who has lost the battle, but is trying to regain some dignity.

Three hours later, they could see the Rock. It filled their vision like a grotesque painting. Its strong black colour striking against the pale blue sky, and its jagged peak reaching towards the midday sun. The two men regarded it silently, slight awe brushing their minds. Despite living nearby, Arthur had only seen it once, and Merlin not at all.

"Told you I'd judged right." Arthur said, then rode down the hill, head held high. Merlin followed less enthusiastically, wary of what could leap from the shadows. As they approached the Rock, their vision turned darker and a sense of foreboding jolted through Merlin, causing him to twitch in the saddle. Arthur rode on, oblivious to his servant's discomfort. He thought he could see the faces in the shear obsidian surface, and for once, both men could imagine some sort of magical beast living here after all.

It was far too quiet

"Where's the sorcerer, then?" Arthur exclaimed. "This better not have been some wild goose chase!" He shouted into the sky. Chills raked through Merlin, and his eyes were pulled upwards. There was someone on the rock.

"Arthur…" Arthur turned at Merlin's tone, and followed his line of sight. His eyes narrowed and he gripped his sword hilt reflexively. The man on the rock grinned a feral grin, and then he laughed. The sound chilled Arthur to the bone. It was the laugh of a madman.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"My name is Saccularius, and you killed my family. You took all that I loved. What I want, _Pendragon._" He sneered the name derisively. "Is your blood."

* * *

**A/N: **Oooh! Dramatic ending! Sorry for the cliffie. Saccularius means Trickster in latin, I thought it was an apt name. See you next time! ;)


	3. Confrontations

_**A/N : Hai! So here is chapter 3: Confrontations. This took ages to write, I was getting quite OCD about it.**_

_**All spells used are taken from the Merlin Wiki, which, may I add, is VERY useful for anything Merlin related.**_

_**Enjoy the chapter! :3**_

* * *

_**Chapter 3: Confrontations**_

_Do all evil sorcerers have a shared hobby? _Merlin thought, imagining them huddled together in the forest discussing with glee the various means to Arthur's death. They always seemed to have a nice, pre-prepared speech as well, outlining the discretions to their family, clan or magical peoples in general, before uttering a dramatic ending that contained the implied murder of Arthur. Merlin was tired of it. All he wanted to do was save the prat's ass, was that too much to ask? The amount of people who wanted Arthur dead was ridiculous. He had resigned himself to the fact that the clotpole couldn't protect himself, and that saving his life was now a weekly occurrence, but really, this was getting silly.

Arthur frowned. The only magical people he remembered...killing...were the druids a few years back. It was not a feat he was proud of, it was not even a feat; it was a slaughter. However, the druids were pacifists, and would not lust after anyone's blood, not even his. He had accepted, slowly, that the druids really didn't mean any harm, though this didn't mean he fully accepted them. So who was this man, this man who claimed Arthur had killed his family? He could only think of one answer.

"Whatever wrong my father has done, do not blame me for your suffering." The cloaked man snarled, and moved into the sunlight, revealing that he was swathed in crimson robes.

"Like father like son. You are as blind as your father, _boy. _Do not presume to be so high and mighty merely because you are king, for I see you for what you truly are. A twisted wretch! How many have suffered under your kind's hand? I will have revenge!"

There were many magic users Uther had condemned to death, and so the options for this man's origins were numerous. Throughout the speech, Merlin had been immersed in thought, trying to place the crimson clad sorcerer, but to no avail. He felt an inkling of recognition, but it was shrouded in a layer of mist.

"Who were your family?" He asked, trying to clear the fog in his mind. Arthur glanced at him in confusion, probably wondering why his manservant cared about the origins of a man about to kill them.

"Does it matter? Names mean nothing to people like you! All but five of my family are _dead _thank to this brat's father!" While the sorcerer's face slowly reddened to match his robes, a slow sense of dread grew in Merlin's mind.

"Your family… were the Sanguis Familia?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes, and now I will finally avenge their deaths! We have lived alone and clanless for seven years! Not even your death will change that, _Pendragon, _but it will help with the next step: the death of the place that caused us so much grief." That was it, it was confirmed. Merlin had heard of the Sanguis Familia from Kilgharrah, and even the Great Dragon had spoken of them with fear and disgust. He remembered the warnings of their deeds now…

* * *

_"Remember, young warlock, that not all magic is used for good." Merlin snorted; as if he didn't know as much already._

_"Kilgharrah, I've had plenty of experience fighting people who use their magic for the wrong purpose."_

_"Uther was a fanatic, Merlin. He used every means possible to eradicate magic." Merlin frowned._

_"What's that got to do with corrupt sorcerers?"_

_"There were fanatics of the opposite kind. Ones who would stop at nothing to have others under their power, and to eradicate the Pendragons." Merlin rolled his eyes, and Kilgharrah sighed. "You do not understand. These sorcerers, or the Sanguis Familia as they were known then, invented new ways to gain power, and the things they came up with were truly horrible." Merlin pondered for a second, he had heard that name before._

_"Gaius mentioned them. He said they had all been wiped out."_

_"Sadly that was not true, five remain. They were the one clan Uther should have wiped out for good." Merlin was intrigued, and he gave Kilgharrah his full attention._

_"Why? What was so bad about them?" Was it his imagination, or did the dragon _shudder_?_

_"They would bathe in the flowing blood of their victims, and as they died, the Sanguis sorcerer would link their magic to the dying person, gaining the energy released from the death. For a while, they would be unbeatable, but after about a week, the energy dissipates, and they take another victim" Merlin stared, shocked. This was pure evil. The sacrifice of a life for mere power._

_"That's horrible!" He exclaimed, leaping to his feet in indignation._

_"Indeed it is, young warlock. Indeed it is._

And now Merlin was standing in front of one of these sorcerers, who wore a feral smile of pure malice on his face. He could almost sense the pure evil radiating from him, and he shuddered in revulsion. Arthur was glancing from Merlin to the man in confusion.

"Who are these Sanguis Familia?"

"See! You don't even care of the atrocities your father has committed! My family were the most ancient and powerful of all the old religion! We were and still are much more than you, _boy._" Merlin shuddered in revulsion. This was not the Old Religion. This was some twisted and perverted form of magic that didn't even deserve a name, it was _evil_. "But enough stalling. Now you die, Pendragon." And with that the man promptly disappeared.

"Where'd he go!?" Arthur shouted, sword drawn and legs poised in a battle stance. A light rustling of leaves was the only warning.

"Arthur!" Merlin warned, pointing to the king's unprotected back. Arthur spun, and met Saccularius's dagger with a loud _clang_. The sorcerer laughed, eyes wild, and started dancing around the king, avoiding the jabs and swings with ridiculous ease. While Arthur grew tired, Saccularius grew more lively and triumphant, the gleam in his eyes turning into one of victory. Merlin wondered why the man hadn't used magic to kill Arthur, but then it hit him with sudden clarity. He was trying to get close enough to drain Arthur's life energy. Merlin felt sick, and then rage boiled to the surface like an overflowing cauldron of anger. How _dare _anyone do that to his friend! Magic boiled along with the rage, and as Saccularius leant in to deal what would have been a mortal blow, Merlin shouted: "Wáce ierlic!" The sorcerer stopped, swaying as if drunk, but did not fall to the ground. He was stronger than Merlin had thought, but not strong enough.

"Ha!" Arthur shouted, and pierced the man's side. The sword ripped through cloth and skin, for in his arrogance Saccularius had not set up protective spells.

"N-no." He gasped. He looked straight at Merlin. He had felt Merlin's pure golden magic, and he realised just who Merlin was. Then, his eyes blazed with rage and he let out a shout of pure power, tossing both Merlin and Arthur to the ground with its force. Arthur groaned, and tried to push himself upright, but the swirling gold magic in Saccularius's eyes held him in place, pressing him against the hard ground.

"No!" Merlin shouted, uttering the same spell again but putting much more power into it. "Wáce ierlic!" The sorcerer fell to the ground, and his break in concentration allowed an enraged Arthur to leap from the floor and advance. He poised Excalibur over the man's heart.

"Any last words, _sorcerer_? The eyes of the murderer hardened, and with his remaining strength he hissed out a final spell.

"Gebiede… ic þone feorhberend þære ealdaþ… æ…' The very air seemed to shudder, and clouds gathered overhead. The rock face shimmered with an iridescent light.

" Enjoy your gift, Pendragon, for it is one you deserve, and… curse you, Emrys. Traitor…to your kind…" Saccularius managed to choke out, before he plunged the dagger held in his hand into his heart, and his green eyes glazed over as he died. Merlin felt a familiar shudder of powerful magic, and realised what had happened. The sorcerer, one of the Sanguis Familia, had used his own life to awaken something dreadful.

They both stood in shock for a moment, watching the blood pool around the dead man.

"Arthur… I think we ought to…" A low rumble came from the rock, and they both sprinted for their horses, vaulting into the saddles and willing their mounts into a gallop. The horses were more than happy too.

* * *

The rode quickly until they were an hour away from the rock, at which point they slowed down so as not to overtax the horses.

"What _was _that?"

"It felt like… he'd summoned something." Merlin replied, wondering to what extent he could inform his king before he got suspicious. "You know the old legends about a monster living there…"

"Of course, everyone does."

"Well, what if they're true?" Arthur frowned, seemingly lost in thought.

"It was something…" He finally said. "But don't put too much stock in legends." They rode in silence for a few more minutes, before:

"Twice in a year!" Arthur exclaimed angrily.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, startled by his friend's sudden outburst.

"Emrys!" He spat. "Who the hell is he? Morgana mentioned him, and now the sorcerer. That's it."

"Arthur…"

"I'm tired of not knowing. I'll find out who this 'Emrys is if it's the last thing I do, and you, Merlin, are going to help me."

_Uh-oh._

Arthur had continued to grumble about sorcerers and Emrys until Merlin had had enough of the half comprehensible mumbling.

"Will you be quiet!" He exclaimed. Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"Something bothering you, Merlin?"

"No, sorry. I didn't…

"Come on, Merlin. I can tell your thinking about something, which in itself is a feat." He grinned at Merlin sideways, proud of his slight jab, but his friend didn't respond.

"It's nothing."

"It's something. Tell me."

"I'm just…" His manservant floundered for words. "Worried. About what the sorcerer said, you know. The whole 'enjoy your gift, Pendragon, it's what you deserve because I am a mighty Saguis Familia member and I hate you' thing. Aside from that, I'm amazingly content with everything." He replied sarcastically.

"Who are the Sanguis Familia, Merlin? You seem awfully familiar with them." Arthur stared at Merlin until he answered, the servant's face blank and sporting a mildly revolted look.

"A group of sorcerers who used the blood and lives of their victims to make themselves more powerful. Gaius told me." He added to avoid further questioning, though it was only a half-truth. He'd become awfully good with those. However, he needn't have bothered as Arthur had stopped paying attention as soon as Merlin had said 'powerful.'

"That's horrible!"

"Indeed it is, young Pendragon." He replied, doing his best Kilgharrah voice, until he realised that Arthur couldn't understand.

"Sorry, I was reminded of a friend." Arthur shook his head, ignoring his quirky manservant. "Anyway, what are we going to do about whatever Saccularius summoned? If he did summon something. I'm worried. It felt... powerful..."

"Don't be. His kind can never win. _I'm _more concerned about Emrys." Did he imagine his friend's scowl? The manservant appeared to have grown increasingly more annoyed every time he mentioned the name, and this intrigued Arthur. "Are you familiar with the name, Merlin?" Merlin started, and almost fell off his horse, which didn't go unnoticed by his master. "Merlin?"

"I… I just… You seem to assume he's an enemy, that's all. I don't know him." He laughed nervously, and Arthur raised his eyebrows even further.

"It's a druidic name, _Mer_lin, I know _that _much. Why would a druid be any help to Camelot…? Especially after what happened with Morgana… How could this 'Emrys' _not _be an enemy."

"Not everyone hates the Pendragons, Arthur." Merlin said, his mouth a tight line across his face.

"Oh? And why would this druid help me?"

"Maybe he thinks you'll be a good king."

"I _am _a good king, _Mer_lin."

"To all peoples." Arthur looked at him steadily, and Merlin shifted under the intense glare.

"How come you're so knowledgeable?"

"It's … just a theory." Merlin fell silent, and no more words could be coaxed out of him so they rode together in a companionable silence until they reached the gates of Camelot.

* * *

"Arthur!" Shouted a joyous voice, a sight beautiful to Arthur's eyes running across the courtyard towards him. He swung off his horse and embraced his love in a fierce hug, her soft brown curls brushing his face like the caress of a lover. He kissed the top of her head, and the people passing through the courtyard smiled at both the return of their king and the obvious affection he shared with the serving girl. She pulled away and turned to Merlin, checking for injuries and fussing over him like a mother hen before embracing him too in a hug, albeit a slightly gentler one.

"What happened?" She asked quietly. The two men exchanged glances.

"It's a long story."

* * *

_**A/N : Dun Dun Dun! What did Saccularius summon? Well, you'll have to wait and see! As you may have guessed, Arthur is going to get all angsty about finding Emrys, which should be fun! :) Bye!**_


	4. Trouble

_**A/N : Sorry this took so long! I have no excuse... does an insatiable need to watch Merlin count? No? Sorry.**_

* * *

"When the shuddering started we left, not knowing whether I had the necessary force to deal with the situation."

Arthur failed to mention they had practically flown from the rock, fear making their feet faster. His head was ringing from the countless reprimands and questions from the council, most of which seemed much more eager to undermine the king than ensure his safety. Faint moonlight crept through the stained glass windows, casting the gathering in an eerie glow.

Merlin had slunk behind a pillar, gone unnoticed by the nobles, even though he had travelled to the rock with Arthur, because he was a servant. Arthur however could still see him, and his servant's expression was causing Arthur to press his mouth into a tight line, trying hard not to laugh. Merlin obviously disapproved of the stuffy lords and ladies, despite the fact that he was meant to be their submissive inferior. He'd never admit it, but Arthur was reassured by a friendly and sympathetic face in a room of people that played the political game.

"Why did you not take some men with you? It was dangerous, going off on your own like that!" A noble with a long, pointed nose exclaimed, his purple robes swishing indignantly around his ankles. His tone was obviously used in disdain, one directed towards a child. Arthur noticed Merlin rolling his eyes from the security of the pillar, and completely agreed.

"The message was for me, and me alone."

"And yet you took your servant?"

"I felt it necessary." _And he insisted, but I can't exactly tell them that. _The noble snorted, and Arthur now recognised him as Lord Benover, a man who had never held any particular attraction to Arthur, and indeed most of the castle residents. "I know most of you disagree with the decision I made, but I believed it to be the best one at the time. It was only through sheer luck that we defeated the sorcerer, and I'm certain any allies I'd enlisted would have been killed." Before anyone could say anything else, Arthur said, "Council dismissed." For he was beginning to acquire a headache. However, before they could leave, he called Gaius and Geoffrey the librarian back to him. Merlin remained skulking in the shadows.

"My lord?" Geoffrey said, an eyebrow raised in question.

Arthur had kept part of the story to himself, namely the part about Emrys. For some reason he didn't want to reveal the name to the council, especially as the man was implied as a sorcerer but he needed to know and the librarian and court physician were the ones most likely to. He'd also kept back that the sorcerer they faced had been a part of the Sanguis Familia, letting them believe he had been a simply single sorcerer.

"At the Rock of Faces we discovered the sorcerer was part of the Sanguis Familia." When he heard Gaius and Geoffrey gasp he regretted his bluntness, but his current state of mind hadn't allowed for word play.

"Are you _sure _sire?"

"He claimed to be one. He said he was one of five left." Gaius sighed and shook his head.

"Then it is true… They live. I had hoped they had been wiped out along with the rest of their clan, but… I had heard the rumours." Arthur started, for Gaius was never this vicious regarding magic users.

"They are that bad?"

"Oh yes… the things they did were terrible." Gaius shuddered.

"I've heard… they used blood sacrifices?"

"Yes… and worse." Geoffrey said, brow quivering. "They bound the body's energy to themselves as their victim died, thereby granting themselves the power, strength and stamina of two men for a short while, up to a few weeks, before the power dissipated."

All the men in the room jumped as Merlin said, in a dead tone,

"It's the most vile form of magic, a blight on this world. Stealing life energy is _evil_." Merlin's face was half-hidden in the shadows, and he spoke as if a great weight had been added to his shoulders. His light blue eyes had been darkened by the shadows from his protruding brow, which was creased into a frown. "They shouldn't live." Arthur blinked.

"How do you know so much about them?" He asked. Gaius was shooting warning glances at his ward, which the king remained oblivious to. Merlin shook his head as though coming out of a stupor.

"Stuff Gaius told me," he said in his normal cheerful voice, "and just… a feeling." Arthur knew what he meant. It _did_ seem wrong to steal precious life from a man to harness it for destruction. He nodded.

"Something else the sorcerer mentioned… have either of you heard of a druid by the name of Emrys?" He _was _going to find out who this person was and hoped the two old men would have heard of him. He wasn't, however, prepared for Gaius' reaction. The physician visibly stiffened, before making an effort to control himself which in the eyes of the king immediately made him suspicious. "Gaius? Have you heard of him?"

"I thought I recognised the name, but no, sire. I haven't heard of 'Emrys' before."

"Geoffrey?" Arthur asked, but the librarian's face remained blank as he shook his head. "Work on it. Look the name up." He nodded. "Do it now." He started to walk forwards, but then turned back.

"Sire… the name rings a bell." Geoffrey started, before teetering off.

"Go on?"

"The name Emrys doesn't belong to a druid, but to a warlock, I think. Of course… I know none of this for certain. That's all I know."

"Thank you, Geoffrey." Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to ward off the brooding headache. "Continue to research it. You may go." He nodded again and bowed, quickly scurrying away.

"Gaius… what exactly _is _a warlock?" Gaius started to look a bit fidgety, his face falling into one of uncertainty.

"A warlock is born with his powers, sire. He also has the ability to control the elements: fire, water, earth, air and sometimes the weather in general." He spared Merlin a glance before adding, "Warlocks are incredibly powerful." He bowed once, and then left the room, obviously reluctant to answer any further questions.

* * *

Arthur crossed the room in short, angry strides and dropped down onto the thrown, covering his face in his hands.

"That makes more questions than it answers!" He exclaimed. Merlin moved towards him with a slight smile.

"All will be answered… in good time."

"I want answers now! Camelot's in danger!"

"Patience is a virtue, Arthur." His friend snorted

"What good will patience do me if Camelot falls?" Merlin thought for a minute, trying to find a way to explain Emrys without giving himself away.

"There's nothing to do about the Sanguis Familia until we know more."

"But what about Emrys? He could be dangerous." Merlin fought hard not to show his exasperation on his face. Really, this was getting irritating.

"We don't know that. For now, we can only wait and see what Geoffrey finds." Merlin reasoned, but still, Arthur sighed once more before standing up.

"I guess so." He said, defeated. "Help me out of this armour then polish it... I'm going to bed."

* * *

Gaius was sitting in silence, his thoughts on Merlin and the name he bore. This was going to be a tricky one to get out of. Suddenly, the door burst open with an almighty crash, swinging on its hinges to hit the wall. In the doorway stood Merlin, his eyes wild.

"What am I going to do Gaius?" He asked frantically, both hands now clutching his hair in agitation. "He's looking for Emrys! What- what am I going to do!?"

"Sit down."

"No, no I need to work something out, there must be something…" He was pacing now, his feet beating out a fast tempo on the stone. "He can't find out!"

"Wearing the stone away won't help, Merlin. Sit down and have some soup." His ward eyed him as though he were mad; obviously food was not considered helpful at this moment in time. However, after enduring Gaius' level gaze he admitted defeat, and plonked himself down at the table. He made no move to eat the soup, instead banging his head on the table and groaning.

"Why me, Gaius? Why do these things happen to _me?_"

"You attract trouble, my boy. It will work out in the end, it always does."

"Yes, it will, won't it?" Merlin stated, frantically trying to reassure himself. After all, things usually did, it was the natural way. But this time it felt different.

* * *

There was an ominous chill in the air when Merlin awoke. The rising sun found him deep within his moth-eaten blankets, conserving the little warmth he had and trying to snag a few more seconds of comfort. He didn't feel like rising with the sun today. Today he felt like getting lost in the blankets, sleeping in. _Sleeping in… hah! _With a groan, he shoved his feet forcefully onto the cold stone, shivering when the temperature seeped into his bare skin. Quickly, he pulled his boots on and changed into a clean blue shirt, tying a red neckerchief on before trotting into the main room. Unruly hair went forgotten. Once he'd eaten, he reluctantly made his way to the kitchens, and then Arthur's chambers, certain the name 'Emrys' would be on the king's lips as soon as he woke.

"Arthur! Up you get!" He called, adopting a singsong voice as he drew back the curtains. Bright sunlight hit the room, illuminating the face of the sleeping king who immediately uttered a muffled complaint and sunk beneath the many soft covers. _I bet he's not cold, _Merlin thought. A pleasing idea came into his head, and he proceeded to yank the covers off of his master.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, desperately grabbing them.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled back, smirking as Arthur's sleep laden face came into view, eyes blinking wearily as they absorbed the morning sun. He then groaned and fell back, attempting to bury his face in the many plush cushions. "Oh no you don't." He said, pulling them from beneath Arthur and depositing them on the floor. "Up." The king glared at Merlin as he rose, staggering slightly as he reached for a shirt.

"Many servants would be beaten for waking their masters like that."

"Good job I'm not 'many servants' then, isn't it?" Merlin replied, adding a cheeky grin to the situation. Pulling the royal agenda from behind him he cleared his throat, before stopping in amazement much like he had the previous morning, eyeing the parchment in fascination. Arthur's eyes lit up.

"What? Is it empty?" Merlin continued to stare.

"How do they fit that many words on one piece of parchment?" He said quietly, before turning to Arthur with another grin. Arthur groaned.

"I should have stayed in bed." Ignoring him, Merlin started to read.

"First, you must meet with the council to discuss taxes, then you have a meeting with the weapons master about new swords, then-"

"Sire?" Came a tentative call along with a soft knock.

"Enter." The door was pushed open, and Lord Geoffrey's face poked in.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, sire."

"Not at all, what is it? The librarian shuffled nervously.

"I… I have some new information on Emrys, my lord. A source from the lower town. I'm not sure how trustworthy he is, or how he came by such information, but…"

"What did he say?"

"He claimed that Emrys lives here, my lord. In Camelot. Arthur gaped at him for a moment, mouth open in un-kingly shock, before he brushed the agenda aside and strode forwards.

"Then we have no time to waste."

* * *

**_A/N : I promise you there will be action in the next chapter, and Lord Benover will continue to be an annoying stufffy noble throughout the whole story. It's just the way he is, he can't help_**** it.**


	5. Playing the Game

_**A/N: Hello! I'm back with chapter five! I must say I'm amazed with the responses this story has gathered, thanks to all. :)**_

_**I'm sorry about the huge box in the middle, I couldn't get rid of it :(**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_Why me why me why me," _Merlin thought, the mantra running round his head as he trotted after Arthur. The king was leading at a brisk pace, red cape billowing and jaw set in a firm line. They'd just come from the council chambers, where Arthur had publically declared they were to keep their ears and eyes open for any whisper of Emrys, but did not mention who he was or why he was searching for him. Now he'd had a brilliant idea, which of course meant brilliant for Arthur, not for Merlin.

And so this was why the king and his manservant were going to the dungeons. At the end of Morgana's second tyrannical reign, the soldiers who had surrendered were thrown into the dungeons until further notice. The aim was that the dank cells would cause them to reflect on their life choices, though it would do as much good as if one of Camelot's knights were being held prisoner by Morgana. The men were completely loyal to her.

Arthur wasn't sure whether this was due to Morgana's twisted magic or actual reverence, though he suspected the latter, not being able to believe anyone would admire her. He could hear Merlin's soft footfalls following him and he smiled, imagining his friend grumbling under his breath and trying to keep up with his own long strides. They swept down the halls, passing respectful and tidy servants that greatly contrasted with his own. There really was no point comparing them, the difference was there for all to see. While the other servants stopped and looked at the floor until the king passed, Merlin shuffled after him muttering vague insults. Arthur smiled again.

The point of the trip was to see if any of the ex-soldiers had information on Emrys, and Arthur knew exactly how to go about it.

"Sire." The guard said respectfully when they finally reached the black door that signalled the dungeons. Arthur could swear his castle got bigger every day. Merlin would say it was because he was fat, but of course that wasn't true.

"I wish to see the prisoners captured during Morgana's reign."

"As you wish." He answered, eyeing Merlin questioningly.

"He can come." The guard nodded.

"Sire." He said once more, before standing aside and allowing his king to pass.

Merlin had forgotten the dungeons smelled so bad. The stench of unwashed bodies and excrement was almost overwhelming. Of course, he'd been in there plenty of times before, but memories never seemed to compare with reality. Coughing, he covered his mouth with a sleeve and wondered how he'd ever stood the aroma before. Arthur grimaced after shooting a glance at his servant, he fully agreed.

"You think I'd be used to it now." Merlin mused aloud. "But it gets worse every time."

"What?"

"The dungeons." Merlin replied, as if speaking to a small child. "I've had to stay here before, several times, but the smell never seemed this bad." Arthur gaped at his friend.

"You've been here before?" He asked in shock.

"Yes! The goblin incident, Aredian the witch finder, when we first met, Cornelius Sigan, Gwen and the poul-" He slapped both hands over his mouth. He'd almost given away the time he was under the ageing spell, that wouldn't be good. Thankfully, Arthur, ever the ignorant prat, didn't seem to notice, instead turning his gaze slowly to his friend.

"I-I didn't know." He stuttered. Merlin rolled his eyes and strode forward, towards the cell that held Morgana's men.

"That's because you're a self-absorbed prat!" He laughed, skipping ahead. Arthur started and followed after him, for once not retorting to the barb, but rather in a completive silence. "Really, the number of times I've been accused of sorcery. It's ridiculous!" He laughed again, as if telling an inside joke. What rankled the most was that two out of the five times it had been Arthur himself that had thrown Merlin in prison. _Wait, five times? _

"What was that last one?" He asked, remembering suspiciously how his friend had clapped both hands over his mouth in shock at revealing something.

"N-nothing." Merlin stiffened.

"Come on tell me."

"Nor really, it was nothing. Accidental speech." He grinned nervously, before turning to the cell they had just arrived at to cut if any further questions. "We're here."

Arthur observed the hoard of men with distaste, although they were hardly a hoard. Their numbers totalled to about ten, but their bulking presence and muscly physiques contributed to the effect. They took up a space usually used for about twenty people. Arthur stood, tall and proud, in full speech mode.

"Men." He started, not sure how to address them. "I'm aware that until recently you fought under the service of Morgana. However, those days are over. You could aid Camelot now, and redeem yourselves in the eyes of you king and your people. You could give to me, information on Emrys." He paused to make his words dramatic, and whispering started up among the prisoners. It was obvious they knew something. "Well?" He asked. One man pushed his way to the front and crossed his arms, and although he was covered in scum from the cell he still managed, somehow, to look imposing. However, Arthur did not back down, not even when then man spoke. His deep nasally voice reminded the king of swords being sharpened, or children screaming. Depended how you viewed it, really.

"And _why _would we tell you anything?" He sneered, dry lips curling up into a sneer. The expression suited him.

"Because you have a chance to help Camelot! With Emrys gone, there can be a new age of prosperity, but this cannot happen with a cloud of danger still present." He didn't notice Merlin stiffen beside him. A smaller, younger man whispered to his companion in what he obviously thought was a quiet voice.

"But the Lady seemed pretty scared-" He trailed off into a squeak when his foot was trodden on, and glared at the burly soldier who had committed the hushing act. The first man spoke up again.

"You want Emrys?" The ever-present smirk grew more pronounced. "He's a close confidant of the Lady, you won't get to him." Arthur didn't believe that for one second, because, as the smaller soldier had so rightly said, Morgana _had _been scared of this 'Emrys.' Arthur knew what he was doing. He was playing the game, and he was playing it well.

"Please," He begged, making himself sound desperate, "You have the chance to help Camelot, to do something good. Help us. Help Camelot." The man brought a hand to his stubbly beard, adopting a thoughtful expression.

"He's old, beard like a hedge and white as snow. Always wears red robes" He added, growing more confidant in his telling. "Rude an' ugly I say! Ain't that right boys?" He yelled, and the men joined in. The smaller soldier adding his own slightly perplexed cheer.

_How rude! _Merlin thought. Surely his old self wasn't that bad? He quite liked the red robes, they added a devilish charm to his unique and interesting face. The beard, though, had to go. It was itchy. He knew what these men were doing. Emrys was obviously _not _a member of Morgana's court, but he didn't know how to tell Arthur this without revealing himself. However, if he didn't do _something, _the king was going to hunt Emrys down. Obviously his quest would not fruitful, but it would be a waste of valuable time.

"Thank you." Arthur said, deeply amused, whilst trying to nod in realistic gratitude. "Come, Merlin." His servant turned to him with a slight frown, which went unnoticed while Arthur was bathing in the glory of his victory. It had worked! He almost skipped through the dungeons, but of course that wouldn't be very regal, so he restrained himself to a wide grin. He waited until they were far away from the cell before expressing his jubilations.

"Hah!" He exclaimed, making Merlin jump. "Idiots."

"How so?"

"They gave away information about Emrys!" He explained, confused by his manservants lack of understanding.

"Surely…" Merlin hesitated. "Surely you don't think Emrys is a threat? I mean, Morgana seemed almost _scared, _and you could tell they weren't being honest. Their eyes, shifty, you know? I-"

"Merlin." Arthur held up a hand, shushing his friend. "You do ramble on sometimes. Of course I know Emrys isn't with Morgana. I don't think he's a threat."

"Really? You don't?" Merlin's face and heart lightened with hope, and it must have been visible.

"You know, Merlin. I do get the feeling you're hiding something."

"Me? Nah, you know me. I'm an open book!" He smiled at Arthur in an attempt to placate his suspicions, but to no avail. The king narrowed his eyes.

"Are you _sure _you don't know Emrys? Your friend Will was a sorcerer after all." He levelled his gaze on Merlin's eyes, which were staring off to the right.

"Arthur really." He said, attempting to adopt an exasperated tone. "This is silly. If you don't stop this nonsense soon, I'll… I'll… Be late for a whole month." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"You're late every day, _Mer_lin."

"Well I'll be even later!" He replied, before stomping off to the stables.

Arthur stared at his retreating back. That was it. Merlin was _definitely _hiding something, and Arthur was going to find out what, or get seriously annoyed trying.

* * *

"Gwaine. Sit down."

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of entering your royal highnesses humble abode. Are your intentions entirely honourable?" Arthur sighed. He knew involving Gwaine had been a bad idea, but he was the closest to Merlin out of all the knights, and the one who Arthur trusted with his friend. However, that didn't stop the knight annoying the hell out of Arthur in the first ten seconds.

"Just sit, Gwaine!" The knight did so, plucking an apple from the fruit bowl on his way down., causing Arthur to bash his forehead against his palm. The man had no sense of propriety!

"Grumpy, princess? Did Merlin forget to feed you this morning? Where is Merlin anyway?" He looked around, as if expecting his friend to peek out from some sort of hiding.

"That's why I've called you here." The knight stood quickly, leaping to his feet in agitation.

"Where is he? Where'd he go?"

"Gwaine! He's fine! Sit down." The knight slowly sat again, resuming his apple consumption.

"Suuu, whadya wannth?" He blurted through the apple, half masticated food showing its true beauty.

"I'm sorry?" Gwaine made an effort to clear the apple from his mouth, before repeating his question.

"What d'you want?" Arthur buried his head in his hands in despair.

"Why the hell did I knight you?"

"Because I showed outstanding bravery in the face of an immortal army and saved Camelot single handed?"

"Something like that. I want you to follow Merlin, track him." Arthur waited, gauging Gwaine's reaction. The knight appeared thrown by the sudden change of subject, then his gaze turned quizzical.

"Whyyy?" He asked, drawing the word out.

"He knows something, and he won't tell me." Gwaine's expression changed quickly, from quizzical to outraged.

"You don't think-"

"No! Of course not, no." He replied, guessing what Gwaine had been about to say. "I trust Merlin completely, but still, he knows something, and I want to know what." Arthur had anticipated that Gwaine would jump to conclusions, and had prepared a calming and tempting offer. "Imagine knowing _all _his secrets. Come on, there's something we don't know about him, possibly several things."

Gwaine considered the offer. He had to admit, it _was _very tempting. He'd always known there was _something _about Merlin, but had put it down to the servants obvious disregard of status and unique personality. But now another secret had popped up, and he was determined to sniff it out and exterminate it.

"Alright. My pleasure. I start tomorrow. Maybe I'll take Merlin to the tavern. I always find that good ale loosens the tongue. Arthur chuckled.

"Maybe I'll come with you. I've never seen Merlin drunk." Gwaine raised his eyebrows, but said nothing. After all, who was he to stop the king visiting the tavern, he might spill a few juicy secrets himself. He leaned back in his chair, anticipating playing detective.

* * *

**_A/N: Merlin looked off to the right because, apparantly, people do that when they're lying or hiding something. Though I don't think it's true. I had to include Gwaine, simply because he's awesome!_**

**_Next time will find them at the tavern! _**

**_Bye! :D_**


	6. Drunk

_**A/N: Oooo! A longer chapter! Nothing to say today, except that all your reviews have been lovely :) Thank you for supporting this story!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

Merlin was tidying stacks of books when Gwaine burst in, trying to uncover information about the Sanguis Familia. So far he'd been unsuccessful, though he'd found interesting tomes on various magical creature, their anatomy and dietary habits. He wondered why they included the latter, when would you use the information? Uther had allowed Gaius to keep these books only so that when the time came they would have the knowledge to defeat a magical creature, though they bordered the line between legal and illegal.

"Merlin! Thought I'd find you here!" Gwaine declared, swinging his arms to indicate the small mountains that dotted the room. "Stop hiding away up here and come have some fun! You need a break."

"Break? What's a break?" Merlin muttered under his breath, and stayed turned around whilst replying to his friend. "I'm doing something important, maybe later."

"Ah but Merlin, how will you concentrate if you're worked to the bone, come on, it'll be _fun._"

"Let me guess, Gwaine. The tavern?"

"You know me so well. Now, come with me." Merlin released a small smile, and gave in to Gwaine, knowing the knight would continue to pester him until he did as requested. Plus, a break would do him good. He'd just have to make sure Gwaine didn't trick him into drinking too much ale, that was never a good thing.

Sneaking out of the castle unrecognised was ridiculously easy for Arthur, and he was slightly annoyed with his guards as he strolled casually through the bustling corridors. Not a single person, servant guard or knight recognised him, which was convenient if slightly exasperating. He had donned a light blue robe, which made him feel even more sneaky. As a child he'd worn a similar robe, and had spent countless hours running around the castle, sneaking (or not so much so) into the kitchens, his father's rooms or Morgana's. The castle staff had patiently put up with his antics, smiling indulgently when the young prince's back was turned. Arthur had pretended to be a knight sneaking into an enemy castle, and often surprised unsuspecting servants by leaping around corners and attacking them with pretend swords.

And now he snuck again, but his time to the tavern of all places. He couldn't risk people seeing him; he was a king, and kings couldn't just spontaneously visit the tavern in the lower town. It was fun seeing how people acted when they weren't in the presence of royalty, fun watching the drunken men attempt to sing or dance, or exchange insults with their friends. It was fun being a commoner. Sometimes Arthur wondered what it would have been like to grow up like Merlin had, or Gwen and Elyan, free of living up to social standards or people's expectations. So this was why he was so looking forward to this little excursion.

He made it all the way to the lower town before he was spotted.

"Arthur?"

"Gwen!" He exclaimed, spinning round in shock. "Shh!" She raised an eyebrow and hefted the basket in her arms. "I'm, er…"

"You're going to the tavern." She smiled slightly.

"How-how did you know?" He asked nervously, not sure if he wanted his love to think him a drunkard.

"Gwaine." She smiled again. "He was excited that he'd gotten the king to go to the tavern." Arthur sighed.

"Gwaine. He's exasperating." He said, in the tone of a petulant child. Gwen laughed now, amused at her lover's attitude towards the unruly knight. The laughter made her face radiant, and her dark brown hair suddenly seemed all the more beautiful against her dark skin. Arthur was reminded of how much he loved her. He stole a quick glance around, and seeing the street empty, he pulled Gwen close.

"You're very beautiful, you know." He purred. Gwen blushed and ducked her head, but Arthur caught her chin and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips brushed, and Gwen returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso gently.

"Nice to see you busy, Arthur."

"Catching up with the ladies?"

Arthur whirled round, his hood falling down around his neck and a red blush stole up his face. Merlin and Gwaine stood in the street, both wearing a smirk identical to the other's. Gwen face also turned a deep crimson, and she made a hurried excuse and fled to her home. Arthur fixed his servant and knight with a glare, but the two accused stood their ground and if anything, the smirks became even more malicious. In an attempt to preserve some of his kingly dignity, Arthur brushed passed his friends and strode towards the tavern, pulling his hood back up as he went.

"Come on then."

"You're going to the tavern?" Merlin asked, incredulous.

"Yes, Merlin. Got a problem with that?"

"Nope. Not at all. Who am I to stop the king of Camelot going to the _tavern_?"

"Well said, now hurry up." Merlin eyed him for a second, then shrugged in resignation and followed. The trio strode briskly through the night shrouded streets, listening to the odd noises the darkness encouraged. The neighing of horses, the barking of dogs and the murmur of tired voices from within candlelit rooms. However, when they turned the corner this rather peaceful image of a Camelotian night was shattered, as two burly men crashed through a door, wrestling manically with spittle flying from their cussing mouths. A wave of sound assaulted four unsuspecting ears, and Arthur and Merlin paused, watching the two brawling men with uncertainty. Gwaine however continued on with no hesitation, for they had reached their destination. The king and his servant glanced at one another briefly, a shared feeling showing in their eyes, and entered the mad world that was the tavern.

"Three ales!" Gwaine declared, winking at the barmaid who had the misfortune to be serving them. She didn't seem to mind however, and even returned his wink with a wicked smile. "To start off the evening." He then leaned back in his seat and twined his hands behind his head, breathing in deeply. "Ah, the aroma of a tavern." He smiled. There was indeed a specific smell dedicated to taverns, a mix of the body odour of drunken men, and the alcoholic tang that went with it. This smell seemed unavoidable whenever one visited such a place, and it was part of the natural charm of them.

There was a merry fire in the corner, and a few servants and stable hands were gathered around it, speaking in conspirational whispers, probably gossiping. The heads of boars and stags leered from the walls, observing the room with as much attention as a dead animal could muster. The three friends had chosen a seat halfway between the loud and intoxicated men and the whispering servants, and were sat under a large brown boar. Swaying her hips, the barmaid returned, placing the tankards down in such a way that exposed her rather inappropriately dressed chest and thoroughly embarrassed both Arthur and Merlin. Having grown up around noble ladies, Arthur was not used to this blatant disregard of propriety, and the women in Ealdor had never dressed inappropriately, it interfered with work, thus Merlin was also naïve.

"Drink up!" Gwaine shouted, swinging his tankard in the air before downing it in one, while Merlin and Arthur watched on, flabbergasted. Merlin shook his head, before hesitantly taking a sip of his. Much to his surprise, the ale was sweet and refreshing and he eyed the tankard in surprise.

"This is nice!" He exclaimed. Gwaine laughed.

* * *

Four tankards later, Merlin and Gwaine were rather drunk.

"You should come down to the tavern more, Merlin. You never do, ish good for you!" Gwaine was swaying slightly in his seat, and letting out a few unmanly giggles, which he would later deny ever having uttering. Merlin giggled back, the tip of his tongue clamped in his front teeth. His blue eyes were slightly wild, and his hair was messed up as a result of having a competition with Gwaine to do just that. They were drunk, and their game made no sense, but it did to them.

"What do you mean, he's _always _down here." Arthur was only on his second, and so was slightly more coherent than his fellows, though his head felt slightly light and his thoughts sometimes drifted. He'd never drunk much alcohol in his life, he could hardly come to the tavern often, and so two tankards was enough to make him tipsy.

"No ees not, I get _sooo_ lonely." Gwaine said in a sing song voice, swinging his head about and giggling again. Merlin was bouncing slightly in his seat.

"Too busy looking after – hic – prince PRATTINESS to go to tavern, eeeshh!" He let out a hissy laugh, then laughed at his laugh before dissolving into a hysterical fit of giggles, which Gwaine soon copied, and soon they were both rolling about on the floor, half of their fifth tankard spilling its contents beside them. Arthur regarded his friends disapprovingly from the gloom of his hood, before deciding enough was enough. He'd tried all evening to subtly get Merlin to talk about Emrys, and if that wasn't working a more direct approach was needed.

"Merlin! People do know you're my manservant. Stop embarrassing me and get up." The servant leaped to his feet alarmingly quickly and regarded Arthur seriously. After ten seconds of this his lips curved upwards in a grin, and he laughed through his teeth again. He stood there, swaying slightly, and Arthur resigned himself to the fact that Merlin was going to topple over without support so he stood up and held his friend's shoulder.

"World's all…spinney!" A sound somewhere between a screech and a maniacal giggle erupted from him, and he patted Arthur reassuringly on the arm. "Shhallright, I'm good." Again, the giggle.

"Merlin, I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me."

"Alright!"

"Who is Emrys?" Merlin cocked his head sideways in thought for a second, before his expression cleared and he grinned in remembrance.

"_I'm_ Emrys!" Arthur stiffened.

"What?"

"_You're_ Emrys!" He continued. "We're _all _Emrys!" He cackled, before stumbling over his own feet and being deftly caught by his king. Arthur sighed.

"Right, enough is enough, we're leaving."

"Aww but _Ar_thur, we only just got started! More ale!" Gwaine yelled from his position on the floor, pounding his fists on the floor for emphasis. _I knew this was a bad idea, _Arthur thought. In actual fact, he hadn't, instead considering their plan to be subtle and cunning. How wrong he was. He hadn't counted on Gwaine's love for ale, or the fact that the knight had an amazing ability to get his unsuspecting friends drunk. Merlin drunk was a sight for sore eyes.

"No!" He roared, bringing the matter to a close. Gwaine pouted, but got to his feet none the less.

"Next time I'm bringing Percival; he's better at getting drunk than you." Said the knight, before striding out the tavern in a perfectly straight line. "Honestly, you're meant to be convincing when getting someone drunk!" Beside Arthur, Merlin giggled and nodded in agreement. Arthur blinked a few times at his knight's retreating back, wondering how anyone could act sober after four and a half tankards of ale, but then, Gwaine had had a lot of practice. His acting and ale consumption skills were alarmingly good.

"Right, come on then Merlin." Arthur wrapped one of Merlin's arms around his neck and helped his servant stumble into the moonlit street, Merlin's giggles accompanying them all the way to the castle, where they encountered difficulty negotiating the stairs. Once the obstacle was passed, they staggered into the castle, Merlin's continuous chatter echoing off of the stone walls. Arthur rolled his eyes and grunted in response to something Merlin had said, which made his friend laugh heartily. Suddenly, two nobles and their servants came around the corner, and Arthur, not wishing to be seen assisting his drunk servant to his chambers, pulled Merlin into an alcove and clamped his hand around his friend's mouth.

"Shh, Merlin!" Merlin seemed content to hum quietly for the moment, which Arthur was grateful for. As the nobles passed, Arthur recognised Lords Haldwin and Benover, the former's long white beard reaching his midriff. Merlin started squirming under Arthur's hands, clawing at the hand wrapped around his mouth. He was surprisingly strong, a fact which Arthur soon learned when his manservant broke free and launched into the corridor.

"_He's _Emrys!"

"What?" Asked Lord Benover for the sake of his companion, his mouth turned up in a sneer and his face positioned in such a way that allowed him to look down upon Merlin.

"Wait, n-no he's not. The beard…" Merlin trailed off, giggling once more before continuing. "Beard makes him look like Eeeeemryyyys. Hehe, silly beard. Tickle tickle."

"Why you-" Lord Benover stormed towards Merlin, hand drawn back as he made to hit the servant while said servant stared vacantly on.

"Wait," said Arthur, stepping out from the alcove. Although he loathed to reveal himself, he couldn't allow Merlin to be punished, at least not for something that was technically _his _fault. "He's not at his best, leave him be. I'm sorry for any insult he had caused you, Lord Haldwin." The two nobles stared at their king in shock, before one showed a soft smile and the other a faint scowl.

"Sire." They both said, bowing their heads briefly in deference to their king.

"I take no insult, my liege. The boy is clearly unable to think straight. And he's quite right, the beard is extremely tickly."

"Unable to think straight!? The boy is insulting and impertinent! Allow me to knock some sense into his thick skull!" Lord Benover bellowed, eyeing Merlin menacingly.

"It is up to the receiver to give punishment in such instances, and Lord Haldwin has made clear his opinion." Arthur nodded to said Lord, before leading Merlin towards Gaius's chambers. Lord Haldwin could see the friendship between the two as the king led his intoxicated manservant home, but Lord Benover could only see the irritating boy that disturbed his mornings once every week, and who had just insulted a noble and gotten away with it.

* * *

The next morning was not fun. Merlin had awoken with a pounding headache and a throat that tasted of one of Gaius's potions. He sat up and leaned against the wall puffing air through his cheeks and trying to remember what had happened. _Arthur…and Gwaine… and the tavern. Oh god…what happened? I was…oh god…" _He remembered, with embarrassing clarity the details of last night, getting completely sloshed, giggling, falling into Arthur's arms, giggling, Arthur helping him back… and then… _Oh my god what have I done!? _He sat bolt upright, alarmed in every sense of the word, before running as best he could with a head like a drum into the main room. Gaius was not there, but a sandwich was, however Merlin could not eat at a time like this and so, as his clothes were already donned he made his way quickly to Arthur's chambers.

"Arthur Pendragon I'm going to kill you!" Merlin shouted, running into the king's room. Seeing Arthur sound asleep, snuggled in pillows, he charged over and smacked him upside the head.

"Ow! Wha- what? Merlin? Merlin! You can't hit the king!"

"I'm not hitting the king, I'm hitting a dead king!" Merlin glared at Arthur.

"All that, was for _Emrys? _And Lord Haldwin… oh god Lord Haldwin! What've I done!?" Arthur smirked, his slight guilt greatly outweighed by the amount of smug amusement he felt.

"I believe your exact words were, 'tickly tickly?'"

Merlin lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands.

"This is _your _fault!"

"I'd say it was mostly Gwaine's actually. So why does Lord Haldwin look like Emrys?"

"He just does, the beard… Wait, how would I know, I was… I was drunk!"

"So you _do _know Emrys!" Arthur exclaimed triumphantly.

"No!" Arthur opened his mouth to respond, but before a sound could pass his lips there was a knock at the door. Arthur frowned.

"Enter." He said. A guard poked his head round the door, and if he saw anything strange about the king's manservant sat on the bed next to the king then he said nothing about it.

"You're needed sire, in the council chambers. There's a matter of great urgency."

"Thank you, I'll be there shortly." The guard nodded, and retreated back outside, shutting the oak door behind him. "Later Merlin, later."

* * *

When the guards saw Arthur coming, they pulled the double door to the council chamber open, allowing the king and his servant to enter in all their glory, which admittedly was rather dishevelled.

"What's wrong?" He asked Leon as he took a seat on the throne, who was standing in a way which indicated he had an injury.

"Sire, our patrol was in the East part of the darkling woods when we were attacked." Arthur leaned forward quickly, alarmed.

"What happened?"

"There was a beast, sire… a terrible beast. It slaughtered everyone, I barely escaped with my life… I-" He was cut off quickly as he stumbled, a dark stain growing on his breeches. Arthur asked his questions quickly; he didn't want Leon to collapse on him.

"What manner of creature was it?"

"…It had no recognisable form, sire. It was like shadow, barely visible to the eye. It took three men before we noticed it's presence. And…it spoke, it said… Camelot would fall in its master's wrath."

"A magical creature…" Arthur frowned, it was too early for such a serious matter. "I'm glad you're alive, Leon." He turned to Percival, who had filed in with the others at new of urgent council business. "Take him to Gaius, quickly." The burly knight nodded, and took one of Leon's arms, helping the limping knight to medical assistance. "Where _is _Gaius anyway, he should be here."

"He wasn't in his chambers this morning, my guess is that he's helping in the lower town." Merlin piped in.

"Send for him." Arthur said to a guard, who nodded and trotted from the room.

"Arrgh! I hate magical creatures! What is it about Camelot that they like?" Arthur shouted to the air, once his council had filed out and it was only him and Merlin left.

"We'll defeat it, Arthur. We always have in the past."

"At what cost? How many men will it take?"

"There will be casualties, but most importantly we _will _defeat it, we will."

"You seem very sure." Merlin smiled.

"I am."

* * *

_**A/N: I said Lord Benover would make a maginificent return, not that it was all that magnificent. He's a nasty character, you can tell! **_

_**See you soon with chapter 7!**_


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